Post-workshop Documents Available in PDF Format: (Accessible by Participants only)

·    Thirteen Recommendations for New Research Directions

·    A Framework for New Research Directions

·    Raw data from Group Session

Modeling and Simulation of Ultra-Large Networks: Challenges and New Research Directions

NSF-Sponsored Workshop (by Invitation-Only)

Nov. 19-20, 2001, Tucson, AZ, USA

Pre-workshop Documents Available in PDF Format:

·    ULN workshop announcement

·    Questions for ULN considerations

·    Some responses and more questions

    ·    Link to abstracts of overview talks

                    

Organized by:

·    The Arizona Center for Integrative Modeling and Simulation ( http://www.acims.arizona.edu )

·    The Society for Modeling and Simulation International ( http://www.scs.org )

                    

Sponsored by:

·    The National Science Foundation Advanced Networking Infrastructure Research Program (NSF/ANIR)

                    

Purpose:

To bring together for a short, but intense, period some of the world’s leading researchers in the networking area to meet with counterparts with expertise in modeling and simulation of networks and of systems more generally.

                    

Activities:

Invited participants will be tasked with elucidating the unknowns of ultra-large networks and with new directions of research that can address these unknowns.   The results are expected to be a set of specific finding of gaps in our knowledge of the behavior of ultra-large networks and how to deal with their design, management, and control.   Participants will assess whether current approaches can be evolved to deal with the large increases in scale or whether different, revolutionary paradigms are required. They will address the need for new techniques and approaches for building models of ultra-large networks and developing simulation environments for studying their behaviors. Suggestions for borrowing points of view form other areas such as complex adaptive systems and from basic theory of modeling and simulation will be encouraged. The workshop Invitee will be grouped into three teams each consisting of 10 members each: Networks, Network Simulation, and Modeling and Simulation. A substantial period of time will be allocated for a facilitated activity using GroupSystems software for anonymous interactive review of recommendations. The scheduled activities are shown below.

                    

First Day (Monday, Nov. 19, 01) *

Location

07:00 – 7:45 am

Breakfast

Sheraton Hotel

8:00 – 12:00 am

Introduction, Three Presentations (one per focus group leader)

Sheraton Hotel

12:00 – 1:15 pm

Lunch  

Sheraton Hotel

01:30 – 5:30 pm

Three Parallel Breakout Sessions

Sheraton Hotel

06:30 – 8:30 pm

Informal Discussions and Dinner

Sheraton Hotel

Second Day (Tuesday, Nov. 20, 01 )

                    

07:00 – 7:45 am

Breakfast

Sheraton Hotel

08:15 – 11:45 am

GroupSystems-facilitated Anonymous Review of First Day’s findings

University of Arizona

12:15 – 1:30 pm

Lunch  

Sheraton Hotel

01:30 – 4:30 pm

Plenary Discussion, Summary of Finding and    Recommendation, and Wrap-up

Sheraton Hotel

06:00 – 8:00 pm

Dinner

Pinnacle Peak

* Evening Reception will be held on Sunday Nov. 18, 6:00 – 8:00 pm

Outcome:

The results of the workshop will be compiled into a proceeding that will provide a useable and significant guide for new NSF funding initiatives for future network infrastructure research.

List of Participants and Observers:

Participants

Organization

Website

Presentations

Agarwal, S.

Lucent Technologies

Link

 

Claffy, K.

San Diego Super Computing Center, UCSD

Link

 

Colbourn, C.

Arizona State University

Link

 

Cox, P.

Lockheed Martin

Link

 

Floyd, S.

Lawrence Berkeley Nat'l Lab/ACIRI/UCB

Link

PDF

Fujimoto, R.

Georgia Tech

Link

PPT

Gelenbe, E.

Univ. of Central Florida

Link

 

Ghosh, S.

Stevens Institute of Technology

Link

 

Hariri , S.

University of Arizona

Link

 
Joslyn, C. Los Alamos National Laboratory Link PDF

Kim, T.G.

Korea Advanced Inst. of Science & Tech.

Link

 

Martinez, R.

University of Arizona

Link

 

Ng, H.

Naval Research Laboratory

Link

 

Meyer, D.

Sprint

Link

 

Nicol, D.

Dartmouth College

Link

 

Orman, H.

Nortel

Link

 

Raghavendra, C.

University of Southern California

Link

PPT

Reily, G.

Georgia Tech

Link

 

Sanders, W.

University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign

Link

PDF

Sarjoughian, H.

Arizona State University

Link

 

Wainer, G.

Carleton University

Link

 

Wilsey, P.

University of Cincinnati

Link

 

Woodcock, B.

Zocal

Link

 

Zeigler, B.

University of Arizona

Link

PPT

Znati, T.

NSF/University of Pittsburgh

Link

 

Cam, H.

Arizona State University

Link

 

Gupta, S.

Arizona State University

Link

 

Krunz, M.

University of Arizona

Link

 

Louri, A.

University of Arizona

Link

 

Reisslein, M.

Arizona State University

Link

 

Rozenblit, J.

University of Arizona

Link

 

Sen, A.

Arizona State University

Link

 

Xue, G.

Arizona State University

Link

 

                    

Abstracts of Overview Talks:

                    

Network Dynamics and Scalable Congestion Control

S. Floyd Download PDF

Abstracts: In this talk I will address some of the current issues in network dynamics and congestion control in the Internet, and discuss some of the challenges in the evolution and growth of the Internet infrastructure. The challenges include not only those of scale, but of new functionality, new vulnerabilities, and diverse extreme environments. I will also discuss some of the difficulties in simulating and modeling the Internet. Again, the fundamental issue is not only one of scale (that is, of a vast network of many identical pieces), but of scale combined with decentralized control and pervasive heterogeneity and change.

                    

Executing Models for Ultra Large Networks: Parallel Discrete Event Simulation and Beyond

R. Fujimoto Download PPT

Abstract: This talk will focus on characterizing the current state-of-the-art in using parallel discrete event simulation techniques to execute models of ultra large networks. I will review some current research projects and approaches in realizing tools for modeling ULNs, and speculate on the future capabilities we can reasonably expect from these efforts. I will discuss the role network simulations can play in the future, and describe research challenges in this regard.

                    

Systems Concepts for the Simulation of Ultra-Large Networks

C. Joslyn Download PDF

Abstract: It is evident that simulation of Ultra-Large Network (ULNs) will prove a monumental challenge to both the network and simulation communities. This is primarily due to the vast complexity of these systems which combine unprecedented levels of storage, computation, and connectivity. Indeed, when modeled as formal systems, ultra-large networks, especially when coupled to social or socio-technical systems, undoubtedly represent the epitome of complex information systems. What kinds of mathematics, what classes of models, what methods of simulation, are most appropriate, indeed, give us any hope of understanding and predicting their emergent structures and behaviors? Interdisciplinary modeling fields, broadly called the Systems Sciences, attempt to bridge understanding across systems of all types by finding isomorphisms of structure, function, and organization. They invoke information scientific categories, both quantitatively and qualitatively, especially such concepts as order, organization, information, structure, and function, but especially complexity and models. In this talk, we provide a brief introduction and review of some of these concepts and current work in the hope that it will be useful in elucidating the nature of the complexity and some potential methods to facilitate our understanding of ULNs.

                    

Issues and Challenges in Large Scale Network Modeling and Simulation

R. Raghavendra Download PPT

Abstract: With the exponential growth of the Internet and its services, our Dependence on network based systems is growing at an alarming rate.   Modeling and simulation tools and techniques work well for small-scale networks. However, these existing methods and tools will not work for well large-scale networks. The issues and challenges are: building multi-scale and multi-resolution models for complex networks; accurate and trustable prediction of performance, predicting anomalies such as congestion storms or Internet meltdown; efficient and/or faster than real-time simulations; using measurements to validate modeling and simulation results; traffic models that reflect the real world traffic; and analysis to detect intrusion and attacks.   These and other issues will be the topics for discussion in this workshop.

                    

Multi-Level And Multi-Formalism Modeling Of Ultra-Large Networks

W. Sanders Download PDF

Abstract: There have been significant advances in methods for specifying and solving models that aim to predict the performance and dependability of computer systems and networks. At the same time, however, there have been dramatic increases in the complexity of the systems whose performance and dependability must be evaluated, and considerable increases in the expectations of analysts that use performance/dependability evaluation tools. This talk briefly reviews the progress that has been made in the development of performance/dependability evaluation tools, and argues that the next important step is the creation of modeling frameworks and software environments that support multi-level, multi-formalism modeling and multiple solution methods within a single integrated framework. In addition, this talk presents an review of the Möbius project, which aims to provide a modeling framework and software environment that support multiple modeling formalisms, methods for model composition and connection, and a way to integrate multiple analytical/numerical- and simulation-based model solution methods. Finally, it suggests research that must take place to make this vision a reality, and thus facilitate the performance and dependability evaluation of ultra-large networks.

                    

Modeling and Simulation of Ultra Large Networks: Methodology Responds to Challenges

B.   Zeigler Download PPT

The challenges to modeling and simulation methodology have been well elucidated by others.   In this talk, I will suggest some approaches to simulation model development that complement some of those already presented. These deal with hierarchy, in both model and control schemes, and related dynamic structure capability:

                    

·     Hierarchical construction for managing the verification/validation challenges in developing models of large scale, multifaceted systems

·